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Thursday, February 21, 2008

rag rug tutorial

Since some of you expressed interest in how to make a rag rug (see this post), I thought I'd try to write up a tutorial. Let me know if you have any questions, and I will try to answer them in the comments.

First, lay your t-shirt flat. Cut off the hemmed end and discard.

Just a warning...this does make a bit of a mess on your cutting mat.

Working from the bottom of the shirt, cut in 1/2" strips, leaving the side seams in tact. This will form loops.

You can cut a few loops from each sleeve, too. Again, discard the finished ends.

Once you have loops cut, use a slip knot to join them.

Pull until the knot is snug.Make a string long enough to start crocheting.

Using a P hook, chain stitch to desired width. I started with 50 stitches and my rug is approximately 30" wide. Chain one more. (to use for turning)

(Ok, I am going to change colors here, because this rug is already in progress.)

Single crochet in each space.

Join a loop when your "string" runs out.

At the end of the row, chain one...

Flip over the rug and begin working in the first space with a single crochet.

Continue single crocheting in each space.

Keep working back and forth until the rug reaches the desired length.

Knot and weave in the end.

This is the rug that I crocheted last summer. I have run it through the regular washing machine a few times and it has held up very well. I used about 20 knit shirts used to make it.

Such a great way to give new life to t-shirts. I made a bathroom mat using my husband's white undershirts and cut the shirts in one long spiralling piece instead of the loops you cut. I think I will try the loop method as I could use my rotary cutter instead of scissors for faster cutting.

this is really a great idea. I did this years ago and I still use my rugs (or my dog do now) But instead of using a cutter, I used scissors and cut the t-shirts around and around getting loooong strips with no knots. I had to sit outdoor because of the mess, but still - a joyful job. I also used worn out sheets in my rugs. Very colourful.Now you inpired me to make more rugs! thank you.

oh my gosh, this is brilliant! I've made my girls all the t-shirt quilts I and they can stand and still have more--now I know what to do with them. And I love the idea of being able to connect each loop with a slip knot.

At our house, my nephews are working on a HUGE ball of yarn so that I can make them this rug. Instead of t-shirts though we are using those loops that we used to make pot holders out of when I was kid. You can buy a big bag of them at any craft store. They come in nylon or cotton, and we prefer the cotton ones. The downside is that the boys tend to only make a few loops each time they come to visit, so it has been in the works for a several months now. But they love adding to the ball of yarn.

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I did this very same thing back in about 1977. A friend gave me a big box of kids T-shirts to use for rags, and I made a rug for my living room. Everyone laughed because I didn't have a big crochet hook, so went outside and grabbed a green branch off a tree and whittled one! Needless to say, they didn't laugh after they saw my beautiful rug!Christy

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This is soooooooooo wonderful. I blogged about this here: http://sarahatbeyondallmeasure.blogspot.com/2009/03/fabulous-rag-rug-tutorial-by-crazy-mom.htmlThank you for this great info, you saved me the frustration of trying to figure it out myself!Sarah

Hi, thanks for the great tutorial. I have a question for you. My rug is looking really thick compared to yours. How thick would you estimate your rug is? The thickness seems to be making the stitches difficult to complete. I have arthritis in my hands and they quickly go numb when I am working on my rug. Other than that, I totally love it.Linda

Hi!This is a great tutorial. I had it saved in my favourites for ages and finally got round to making it up.It works really well in our shower room.I have put a picture up at Flikr http://www.flickr.com/photos/magicalcavy/4248264437/Thanks!

Finally!! something to do with my husbands t-shirt collection! LOL He has taken over our bedroom closet....chest of drawers and my laundry room with all of his shirts! I think I will try to make this :)

thescurry-In order to get your rug to *not* bunch up you need to make increases along the curvy edges of the oval. You have to give it enough fabric (by adding stitches) so it can spread out and lay flat. hope that helps!

Linda- My guess is that you are using a hook that is too small for your yarn (or t-shirts). I would try a larger hook, or cut the t-shirt into narrower strips, or maybe both. A larger needle with a smaller yarn always means easier to get the hook into (think of crocheting lace and how hard it can be to get that little hook into the right spot between the little threads.) Good luck!

I love that you are left-handed! I am too and to me it seems so logical to crochet from left to right, but it seems like all the tutorials show righties! I just finished a t-shirt quilt and now I know what to do with the leftovers!!! Great idea!!!

because different companies have different standard sizes for crochet hooks (even with the same letter), there are charts availible on the internet to help you figure out what size corresponds. It at least gives you an idea.

I have noticed that especially vintage crochet hooks tend to have different sizes than modern standards.

Here is a link to a hook size chart:http://www.crochetandknitting.com/charts.htm

Just started cleaning out closets...hate to throw out clothes just because they have a stain or paint on them. Glad to have found this innovative (nouveau pioneer) way of repurposing them! Like the rectangular mat...more manageable size for me to conceivably create at this point in my life (although I'd love an area rug, too!)

I know this is a really old post, but I just found this tutorial and think it is really great. I have seen many other tutorials and they are ok, but I really like yours. I have one question though, why do you leave your strips in rings instead of doing a back and forth zig zag type of cut? I am wondering if this makes it sturdier or something. I just think your fabric would go farther if you didn't double it in a ring fashion, but I could be missing something as I have never made one of these before.

Thanks again for this great tutorial, and in advance for answering my crazy questions!

I have a Q hook but I think it's time to go to AC Moore again! lol I am going to a rummage sale next month I am going to get a bunch of t shirts that are bright have patterns on them to see what I can come up with.Thanks for the great ideas!

Loved the look of the rug. I am going to try it using plarn (recycled plastic shopping bags. Plarn is made the same way as your yarn from t-shirts). Saw some crocheted rugs at a local fair last weekend and was really impressed. Can't wait to get started. Thanks for the simple pattern and ideas.

This rug looks great!! If I cut the strips in a single layer spiral, like Katherine did, and sewed the pieces together instead of loops and slip knots, would the rug be too thin since it'd be a single layer fabric?

Great idea for fastening the loops. I have not read the other comments, but just in case --- from the pictures it looks like you are left handed, which might be a little confusing for right handed crocheters.

I just found this and I remember my grandmother always making rag rugs. I think when I clean out my closet, if I don't have enough old t-shirts, I will go to Goodwill and buy some. You can get them there very cheap and it's still recycling. Thanks for bringing this 'lost art' back!!!

Can you please clarify "flip it over?" I am doing that but it seems like the sides are alternating, then, front, back, front, back, etc. I'm not sure how else to do it. It looks pretty good otherwise. I'm not really a crochet person. I just picked up crochet to make bags from plarn. That's my only experience!

I don't remember how I came across this tutorial but it was s perfect guide to make my first one! My husband and two sons seem to leave t-shirts in their wake wherever they go so there was plenty of raw material on hand. I would love to post a picture but don't think I can do it in this box .... to see some of my quilting work, visit http://patwig.wordpress.com/

I know this post is really old, but I just wanted to let you know that I recently completed a rag rug using your directions. You can see the finished project on my blog here: http://sewingwithoutzippers.blogspot.com/2012/04/scrap-rug.html

Its funny because I use to work in a garment factory and made T'shirts. We also made tank tops and the "tape" fabric that comes in a rolls that is used to sew along the finished edges of the neck, arms and bottom of shirt, I used to make these rugs. I knitted them. I still have some that I made 10+ years ago. I wash an dry them often, they last forever, it seems. When the company disolved I accumulated lots of these rolls of fabric in all colors. Over the years, I have given it away but still have a little left and I still make myself a rug once in a while. You cant go wrong making one of these. Angela